Saturday, August 30, 2008

By Krista M. Farmer

Okay. I admit it. I’ll stand in line for the latest Harry Potter book. You can probably convince me that I “need” the latest Dior volumizing mascara and yes, I have eaten turtle cheesecake for supper before. I have several guilty pleasures. Buying auto insurance is not one of them, but it’s a necessity. Read on to learn why, in addition to being a legal stipulation, auto insurance is important to you and your assets.

First things first – While penalties vary state to state, you can guarantee that driving without coverage will take some clank out of your bank. Uninsured drivers can face a myriad of punishments for merely being stopped and not being able to prove coverage. This fact alone should be enough to convince you to start researching reasonable insurance coverages for your vehicle.

Not persuasive enough? Consider your possible liability in the event of an accident…

Your vehicle collides with Mrs. Baker’s vehicle. Mrs. Baker is a fourth grade teacher at the local elementary school and is now facing $80,000 in medical bills, $65,000 in lost wages and is requesting $200,000 for pain and suffering. That’s a $345,000 claim that, unless you have adequate coverage for, you will be pulling out of your pocket. Certainly in this case, as the too familiar adage wisely states, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

So, you know you need auto insurance. While it’s not sinfully delicious or nearly as enjoyable as turtle cheesecake, lack of adequate coverage will definitely leave you with a bellyache in the event of an automobile accident. It is possible to find insurance you can afford.

Remember! Your car insurance rate is based on your insurance risk assessment. If an insurance company determines you are a high-risk driver, your monthly cost will be higher than that of the average driver. You CAN remedy this! Let’s take a look at a few things you can do to reduce your auto insurance risk which, in turn, could lessen your auto insurance cost…

1) Purchase home/renter’s insurance from the same carrier as your auto insurance. Some insurance companies offer multi-policy discounts.

2) Always obey traffic laws, specifically the speed limit. Insurance companies take note of your driving record. More speeding tickets = higher risk driver = increased auto insurance cost.
3) Study hard. Insurance companies often reward students with good grades with a student discount.

4) Purchase a vehicle that receives notability for low damageability and increased passenger safety.

5) When given the option, purchase additional safety features for your vehicle. (Air bags, antilock brakes, etc.)

6) Take a driver safety course. A defensive driving class could possibly reduce your insurance rate. If not, it would at least make you more aware of the importance of being a defensive driver.

Other things to keep in mind…

1) To the insurance company, plain and simple, you are a set of risks. Anything you can do to decrease your “risk factor” might affect your cost of coverage.
2) Always ask for discounts. Many insurance companies offer deals for safe drivers. If you’re considered less of a risk, they’ll likely reward you.
3) Always comparison shop. You can always find a bargain if you know where to look. Insurance is such a commodity. Comparison sites like HometownQuotes (http://www.hometownquotes.com) can help you shop for affordable insurance.

You can always eat too much cheesecake. You may get tired of Harry, Hermione and Ron. And that tube of Dior mascara will eventually get clumpy. Your auto insurance, however, is one purchase that you should never regret or feel guilty about. It will only cushion you in the end. Are you covered?

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

How To Get The Best Rates On Automobile Insurance In Maryland

Everyone wants to get the best rate on automobile insurance in Maryland. And it's no wonder since everyone who drives an automobile on any public road in Maryland is required by state law to carry liability insurance, uninsured motorist (UM) insurance as well as personal injury protection (PIP) insurance.

Failure to carry at least the minimum insurance required under Maryland state law carries severe penalties, including but not limited to the revocation of your car's registration plus the confiscation of your car's license plates. Additional penalties may be imposed by the courts.

Fortunately there are ways for you to keep the cost of your automobile insurance under control.

Start with your own driving habits. If you speed or drive when intoxicated or while under the influence of any illegal substances and you are caught you can expect your automobile insurance rates to go sky high and you will have no one to blame but yourself.

If you are under 25 years of age you can save money every month on your car insurance by staying in school and maintaining at least a "B" grade point average. "B" students are rewarded with a Good Student Discount on their automobile insurance.

Drivers who are 55 years and older may get some relief from high automobile insurance premiums by passing a driver's refresher course. Check with your insurance agent to see if your insurance company has such a program. Many do.

If you only drive a few miles per week talk to your agent about a limited use discount. If you primarily use your vehicle only for shopping, doctor visits and similar local errands then you may be entitled to a considerable savings on your insurance.

If your vehicle is old or has little or no Kelly Blue Book value then you may be wise to cancel your collision and comprehensive coverage. Canceling these two coverages can save you considerably on your monthly premiums, although you need to be aware that if you should have a claim the cost for repairing your vehicle will come solely from your own pocket.

If it makes economic sense, increase your deductible. Your deductible is the amount of money that you will be responsible for any time you have a claim. The higher your deductible, the lower your monthly automobile insurance premiums will be.

Now that you have a good idea of the various factors which can contribute to a lower automobile insurance premium, it's time for you to get online and start comparing different policies and prices at different insurance companies. Fortunately there are literally dozens of websites that make such comparisons a breeze.

If you truly want to get the best rates on automobile insurance in Maryland you really need to fill out the form on at least 2 and preferably 3 different comparison websites. In this way you can be more assured that you will be seeing the rates of all automobile insurance companies that are licensed in the state of Maryland.

How get cheap auto insurance quotes and save money?

By: Alexei Timchuk
Comparison site auto insurance is by far the quickest and easiest way to find a cheap insurance rate quote.

For reception of the answer from the insurance company you should fill the questionnaire with your insurance, history and quantity of insurance which you want.

We require protection against risk, accidents and unforeseen circumstances operating the car, therefore we should count on a good covering of insurance which guarantees us safety.

Who wants to spend a well-being on insurance premiums?

You need to be knowledgeable about the steps you can take to help ensure that you are eligible for the lowest cheap auto insurance rates possible. In addition, you need to know how to locate the insurance companies that offer cheap automobiles insurance and compare available rates.

Automobile insurance should not cost you of well-being. For this purpose you should choose a way on which you can save money for your insurance and find cheap automobile insurance. You only should spend a few time for detection of cheap insurance, carrying out sequence of steps:

1. Choose your automobile insurance company wisely.

2. Make sure that it safely.

3. Learn opinion of friends and independent sources concerning the chosen insurance company.

4. Make sure available licenses of the chosen auto insurance company.

5. Ask about all auto insurance discounts.

6. Familiarize with conditions and a policy of the company of auto insurance chosen by you.

7. Purchase the minimum liability auto insurance policy. The choice of the minimal policy of auto insurance is effective way of reception of cheap auto insurance for your budget.

8. Raise your auto insurance deductible. I lift your deductible, you should pay more in case of damage or involving in a road accident, but automobile insurance payments will be cheaper, than at lower deductible.

9. You can lower your insurance payment establishing anticreeping devices.

10. The latent items and expenses are hidden in the cheap scheme of auto insurance. The latent expenses can influence cost of the auto insurance chosen by you.

11. Give the exact information on you as it will influence cost of received auto insurance.

12. Car that is popular with thieves or is expensive to repair will cost more to insure.

If you can find an insurance company who will combine car insurance along with perhaps family insurance, home insurance, boat insurance, life insurance and e.t.c., you may save a large amount of money. It should be studied at a choice of the insurance company, packaging policies makes things cheaper and easier to manage.

Using you can save this information more on insurance of your car, but it is necessary to remember that the best auto policy for you probably not the cheapest.

Cheap Car Insurance Quote

Author: Brent A. Kenny
If you are seeking a cheap car insurance quote there are recognized steps to take that will result in you obtaining the cheapest car insurance quote possible for your car and your circumstances. Many people honestly believe that auto insurance companies are doing their best to provide them with the cheapest quote they can, and trust them to do so. They are both right and wrong.

A company will provide you with a cheap quote if it is liable to make them money. That is the purpose of any company: to make money. They are not philanthropists and like any other company are in existence only to make money. If they feel that they can make more than the average quota of money from your premium then they will offer you a bit back.

Therefore, if you hear of somebody who has found a fantastically cheaper car insurance quote than you have been offered, then that is because their circumstances are different to yours. So what could be different? Perhaps they have never made a claim from previous policies. Perhaps their car is older than yours and they have declined collision and comprehensive cover. Perhaps their company have an agreement with the insurance company they deal with for their car fleet for cheap auto insurance quotes for employees. Perhaps . . .

There are so many perhaps's that you are probably best to ignore the deals other people get and concentrate solely on what you can get. You should listen to their experiences with various ins companies, such as their willingness to pay out on claims or their speed in providing a courtesy car in the event of yours being damaged, but pay no attention to what they pay because their circumstances are different.

So what affects whether or not you can get the cheapest quote going? What are these circumstances that can make so much difference to whether or not you get a cheaper policy than the next guy or gal? They are basically common sense, and if you can't work it out for yourself then you probably don't deserve a cheap car insurance quote.

Do you have all the car safety features fitted in your car? Stuff like air bags, not only for you but for your front and rear passengers? Are their also air bags on the sides of the doors to protect you from side collisions? Do you have ABS braking that doesn't lock when you hit the brakes, or a burglar alarm and window etching with your number plates? If so you can likely get your quote reduced.

Never accept the first quote given - that is Rule Number One in the book of cheap insurance seeker's rules. Compare cheap car insurance and keep something up your sleeve, even if it costs you. If you agree to pay $500 deductible your premium cost will be reduced, but don't tell them that till after your initial quote, or it will likely just be the same as if you didn't mention it. $500 might seem a lot, but that's your estimate of what you can afford to pay calculated against the likelihood of you having to pay it.

There are lots of other variables that you can use to reduce your premium such as dropping the collision cover and going third party, or simply that you are willing to switch your other insurances to the same company, such as house and travel insurance for example. How about simply buying it online: most companies offer a discount if you purchase your auto insurance online.

Whatever way you achieve it, a cheap car insurance quote should be easy to get if you know the right steps to take. Ins companies will give you a serious discount if they believe that you are less likely to make a large claim than the next guy.

Author: Brent A. Kenny

Copyright 2007 - Brent A. Kenny. All Rights Reserved. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active.

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